"They left Blüdhaven, and are heading west."

"Then why didn't you follow them?"

"Oh yes, and they have a car. And guns."

"Any reason why you didn't go after them in Blüdhaven?"

"Because they were hanging around with the Old Bat, and his night terrors. If you think I was going to fight him single-handedly, you're dumber than you look."

A small group sat huddled around a small fire as Lawrence argued with the small woman in green. Around them was a small cluster of tents, just enough for the five of them. Lawrence rarely traveled in a smaller number. Five allowed for swiftness as well as strength, even if it meant traveling with the fierce temper of his own daughter.

"Girl, I swear if you weren't my own flesh and blood I'd have left you to die a long time ago."

"Don't be so dramatic, Lawrence. We both know that's not true." Jade sat and pulled out the small knife at her side. She fiddled for a moment before starting to sharpen it, never taking her eyes off the tall man before her. He sighed.

"West."

"Well, there's nothing out east." He processed, and she watched him disappear into a tent for a moment. When he returned he had a map in hand that he spread near the fire for light. The others watched, but remained silent as he marked numerous cities across the country. Jade watched over his shoulder.

"Star, Coast, L.A., Vegas...Congratulations. You know elementary geography."

"The larger cities are the ones that still have people in them, nevertheless ones who could create an antidote of any kind." His eyes moved across the paper. "If she's going anywhere, it's out there."

The white halls twisted like a maze before her. Silence. No matter where Artemis looked, she couldn't find anyone. She had been walking for what felt like hours, but still the halls looped endlessly. Time and time again they lead her back to her room. Somewhere she heard someone whisper something unintelligible.

Probably the wind.

She turned around this time, going back the way she came in stead of going forward, but the halls changed around her. Her door reappeared before her like it had before, only this time slightly ajar. The whispering continued. She was able to make out a few more words this time, her name included.

"Do it."

It begged her open the door. A hand reached out that she could scarcely recognize as her own. The patches of dry skin on her wrists had worsened, turning to bright red pustules covering her hand. Her fingers were more bloated and sickly than she remembered them being, but still moved with the same strength and dexterity that she knew.

The room was exactly as she had left it. The cleanliness of it all made her uneasy. It was as of she had inhaled the cleaner. The lights above seemed brighter and she squinted at the stark whiteness of the walls. Her chair was still in the middle of the room, though not empty. It was then that she noticed the whispering growing louder, more clear. She could identify words now. They all danced together, as if muttered by a million voices, but they all came from the single source in the chair.

Artemis stepped towards the figure. Her steps we heavier than they had been outside. She moved slowly despite her urgency. Every time she glimpsed the person in the chair their appearance changed. Blonde hair, dark hair, hunched over, proud, old, young. The closer she was, the more the images mixed, the louder the voices became. But she couldn't be more than three feet away when they turned around.

"Wake up!"

She nearly hurt herself sitting upright. It felt like she was sweating out of every pore in her body. Wally looked around with his eyes still half shut.

"Why is my hand wet?"

Artemis gasped for air. She felt like she drowning, emotionally at least. Wally watched her as she steadied her breathing. Her head fell to her hands, and she tried to forget everything she just saw. Artemis jumped at the touch of Wally's hand on her shoulder. It felt foreign even though it had been there plenty of times before. He didn't seem taken aback, though, and her head fell back into one of her hands. They sat in silence for a moment until Wally dozed off where he sat.

Artemis stared out the window until morning.

Appalachia passed by in a foggy haze. Autumn was in full swing, and Artemis was grateful for the spare jacket someone had stuffed in her bag. Grey mountains linking West Virginia and Kentucky provided much needed reprieve from the Infected. They seemed to prefer the more densely pack areas of large cities where people still congregated. A few solitary roamed the woods, but rarely attempted chase. Most were in their rearview mirror just as quickly as they had appeared.

Artemis had taken to hunting, another benefit from the isolation of the mountains. Game was everywhere. Using the crossbow wasted less ammo. Most of the bolts were reusable. Her aim had improved, which Wally found hard to believe was possible. She quickly how to kill in one shot, how to remove fur, hunting...

She hated hunting, but it kept them alive. She felt like she should have been doing something with the furs, but in the end they were just a bloody mess. The smell hung around in the car and their clothes for days.

It was in her hair, too, which was getting long. Wally had dark ginger whiskers growing in that he would rub furiously with the palms of his hands. It scratched the back of her shoulders when they slept, and was all together unbecoming to the point that she made him shave it.

"You're going to shave my face off," he said.

"I'm not going to shave your face off."

"Why should I believe you?"

"Because I can'y kill you. I need you to drive me across 10 or so states."

Artemis sat on the banks of the Ohio River not far out of Louisville while Wally splashed water on his face. She flipped the pocket knife he had found over in her hand. The initials on the handle were barely still visible. A "G" remained though the first two letters had faded over time. She pulled the largest blade out, and looked at it. Hardly the sharpest thing in the world, but it would get the job done. It was sharp enough to slow down one of the Infected they ran into a while back. Not the most ideal weapon, but perfect for a post-apocalyptic shave. She turned to him, knife in hand.

"You know what you're doing?" He was more playful than nervous. Shrugging, she sat down in front of him.

"Just shut up, and don't move."

They were nine the last time they were this close. Every freckle was in the same spot as they had been back then. They littered his face from ear to ear. She gave a slight tap on the bottom of his chin. He complied smiling.

He hummed. "Careful..."

"What did I just say?"

She successfully managed the first swipe without cutting him. Her fingers brushed the side of his neck. Half of the hair was still there. The result of a dull blade. Artemis ran the knife along the spot again, this time coming away clean. She was too afraid to apply pressure so close to his throat. Better a little razor burn than blood. It was slow going doing every spot twice, and she was faintly aware of where her fingers were on his face.

He seemed tense, but it was always herd to tell. It seemed to her that Wally was only ever happy. Very rarely was he visibly upset, and he was always masking everything with humor. He didn't seem worried, or uncomfortable. On the contrary, he was perfectly content to have her this close to him. Most mornings she woke up cuddled near him from the cold or the Infected. The first time was awkward enough, but it soon became a normal part of their mornings. As normal as things could be anyway.

Artemis lowered his head and started on his cheeks. This part was much easier, though now he was able to watch her while she worked. It was annoying. She paused to return his look, and he smiled. Her heart fluttered.

"Stop doing that."

"Stop doing what?"

"I have a knife."

"I'm not doing anything!"

They were in a good area to stay for a day or two. Fishing from the river meant saving ammo. It also meant she could have some semblance of a bath. She might not be totally clean, but it would at least relieve her of a layer of grime. The car had also coasted in on fumes.

Wally insisted that they go closer to the city to look for gas. She couldn't blame him. The cans they had were empty, and being on the water gave them some protection. They would have to brave the city eventually if they had any hope of continuing. Downtown offered the only bridge over the river for miles, but Artemis didn't dare leave until they had every container full. Stopping to siphon every so many miles made for a slow journey with frequent stops and no promise of gas.

Fortunately for them being near a large city meant gas stations everywhere, but gas stations also made the perfect location for nests of sleepers and biters. There was always someone stupid enough to go the abandoned gas station, and today it was them.

Their bags were loaded down with the small gas cans and bottles to hold what the found. Though they were light at the moment, they would soon be almost too heavy to carry.

Wally and Artemis snaked through the grass, guns in hand. A few cars remained at the pumps, frozen in time. Around them, Infected wandered waiting for anything resembling real life. In the building a biter could be seen walking at a much quicker pace. Artemis let her bag fall to one shoulder, ready to swing at a moment's notice. She counted ten give or take a couple. It was the most they had taken on just the two of them. If they lived it would be a miracle.

She looked to Wally for the signal, who gave a curt nod. She took aim for the closest one.

When they finally reached the car, Artemis nearly collapsed. She was tired. Her feet hurt. There was a new coating of blood on her shirt. Wally lit a small fire near the river, presumably to start their dinner, but he didn't get anything out. He just stared into the flames. A low rumble sounded somewhere off in the distance. The rain was catching up to them. She touched her hair and felt the greasy locks. The Ohio River was calling to her, and she couldn't refuse.

"River. Now."

"What?" He seemed to snap out of his trance as she walked by.

"We're covered in blood, and I don't remember the last time I was clean." Sh stood on the banks and dropped her bag. Wally stood beside her as she started removing layers. "Turn around."

"What are you-"

"I'm getting naked. I'm going to get clean. You are welcome to join me, but you are not," She turned him to face away from her, "watching me undress."

He sighed, but remained facing the other way. "Not like I haven't seen you naked before."

"Not in the last ten years." She peeled away what felt like years of dirt. In reality it was only weeks. Maybe a couple months, but no more than two. Her clothes landed in a pile beside her, and she tentatively put a toe into the water. The water was colder than expected, but a welcome feeling. She walked out a few feet then submerged herself.

Immediately goose prickles emerged all over her skin. She was weightless in the water, physically and mentally. If it were possible, she'd stay under forever, like a fish or a mermaid. The mermaid gene would have been so much cooler. Though sure enough her lungs began to burn for air. She surfaced and heard the splashing of Wally joining her in the water. The thunder rolled ever closer.

"Shit it is cold!"

"It's nice."

"That's a word for it." He dunked himself under, and immediately resurfaced scratching the muck and blood from his hair. The mess of his face was already rinsing off. Artemis ran a hand through her knotted hair, though it hardly helped. She longed for a brush. "So."

"So," she replied. "Made any progress on how you're going to save me yet?"

"It's a very difficult process." Artemis rolled her eyes. "Oh, don't make that face."

"What face?" She couldn't be sure, but she was fairly confident that she had felt a rain drop.

"That face you make when you think I'm being ridiculous." He gestured vaguely to his head. "With the scowling and the sighing."

"I'm not making that face." She was making that face. The fire on the shore was too dim to reveal her face this late, but there was no fooling him. She waded closer to him. "And that sounds like a resounding...no" That time, she definitely felt rain.

"It's not no. It's depending on the lab, and what they have there."

"Wally, I know you've read every Chemistry book known to man, but that's nothing like practicing medicine." The thunder was nearly on top of them, and the rain fell more steadily.

"But if I could talk to them..."He sighed. "I'm very persuasive."

"Stubborn's more like it." Thunder clapped right above them, and Artemis was suddenly aware of how close they had gotten. The downpour came out of nowhere. It didn't seem too bad until the lightning lit up sky. She got a quick glance of Wally before heading back towards the shore. Her clothes were soaked, but she threw them on save for her jeans which didn't want to cooperate. As soon as her shoes were on, lightning signaled for them to head for the jeep.

They piled into the backseat one after the other. Artemis snatched up the old towel she had been using as a pillow to wrap around her shoulders. Wally threw their bags in the front. She watched him as he reclined against the back of the driver's seat. His shirt was soaked and nearly see-through, but he had at least managed to get his pants on. She laughed.

She laughed at the rain, and at his shirt. She laughed at her underwear and the terrible job she did shaving him. Her head fell back and she laughed at the idea of getting to California and not dying. But most of all she laughed at everything that was telling her not to kiss him.

Wally seemed to meet her half way, and she didn't let their lips part for a moment. Her arms wrapped around his neck as if they had done this a million times. He was both cold and warm at the same time, and she pressed herself against him to feel more warmth. She had no idea what she was doing, yet it didn't matter because he didn't either. But somehow everything he did was right. His fingers went through her hair without catching, and his other hand pressed her closer, as if that were possible.

That kiss when they were nine was nothing.

She paused to catch her breath before going back for more, kissing him briefly on the lips before moving to his chin and to his neck. She shivered and he stiffened. Artemis pulled back. She had moved into his lap, straddling him against the driver's seat. In her underwear. She quickly dismounted and moved towards the back. Wally opened the door and adjusted himself.

"I gotta...um...Yeah...I'll be right back."

Artemis covered her eyes. She could sigh for days, but the door opened just a minute later. What was she even supposed to say?

"I-"

"Save it, girl. We'll have plenty of time to talk back at the camp." Artemis moved her hands to see a man's face that looked way too much like her own.

I had planned on the kissy face happening out in like...Utah or something. Definitely not this early, but you know what. It felt right. And everyone's been so patient. You deserve kissy face, my friends. The plan is to get two chappys out this month (cause you know, zombies...october). Even if it's 11:59p on the 31st, it's happening.